Anganwadi centre runs without teacher for four months in Melaghar

An anganwadi centre in Melaghar has been functioning without a dedicated teacher for the past four months, compelling the authorities to assign a teacher from an adjacent centre to fill in for her. The distance between two centers is around a kilometer and hence studies and other activities in both the pre-school facilities are getting affected equally. 

The issue has come to light from Madhucharan Para in Dasrathbari ADC Village under the limits of Melaghar police station. According to locals, two anganwadi centres operate within a radius of about one kilometre — one at Madhucharan Para and another at Pal Para.

Villagers alleged that the Banka Bari anganwadi centre has been without a regular teacher for the last four months due to what they described as an administrative lapse in the Social Welfare and Social Education Department. 

In the absence of a regular teacher, the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) office in Melaghar reportedly assigned Pushparani Debnath, the anganwadi worker of Pal Para centre, to look after both centres.

Locals claimed that managing two centres simultaneously has posed practical difficulties and affected regular teaching and other activities meant for children enrolled at the centres. 

“One person cannot effectively run two anganwadi centres in a single day. The children’s learning process is bound to suffer,” a local villager said.

Attempts to contact officials of the Social Welfare and Social Education Department for comments were unsuccessful.

Villagers have demanded that the department expedite the appointment process and post a regular anganwadi worker at the Banka Bari centre at the earliest to ensure uninterrupted services for children.